iModded My iPhone, Part 2: The Wi-Phone Mod

The GPRS/EDGE data speeds on the iPhone are known to be slow. For
serious web activity, it’s best to use the Wi-Fi connection. But what
if you’re too far from your closest hotspot? Seth Fogie considered this
and decided to upgrade the wireless antenna in the iPhone.

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Author's Note: For instructions on how to safely remove the case from
your iPhone, see
Part 1
of this series. You'll be glad you did.

The iPhone has two main methods by which it can communicate with the
Internet. The first is over the infamously slow GPRS/EDGE network, and the other
is via a 802.11 wireless network. Due to the simple fact that a Wi-Fi connection
is much, much faster than GPRS/EDGE, it is extremely advantageous to use Wi-Fi
whenever a wireless network is nearby. Unfortunately, the antenna for the
wireless network is embedded in the iPhone device and is only about an inch long
(Figure 1). So, in our typical fashion (see our previous articles on adding
antennas to a
PSP
and a
Wii),
we decided to experiment. We wanted to see if we could upgrade the wireless
signal strength by replacing the phone's existing antenna with an upgraded
version.

We will be up front here and say that this iPhone mod is probably not worth
the trouble. The biggest problem is that the iPhone must be ultra-mobile, so
tacking on a big external antenna is not really a workable option. In addition,
messing up the exterior of the iPhone seems almost sacrilegious. If there is one
thing Apple does right, it's building sleek-looking devices—and the
iPhone is almost the epitome of this tradition. Regardless, we just had
to try this Wi-Phone mod. Why? Well, if you have to ask, then I'll never be
able to explain.

The Wii-Fi Wi-Phone Upgrade

For this modification, we had to find an antenna that was better than what is already in the iPhone, yet would still fit into the iPhone. We turned to the antennas in the Wii, because we've previously discovered that Nintendo did a pretty good job designing the wireless technology used by the Wii. Not only are the antennas thin, but they have a unique design that matched the signal strength of an external 5 dBi omni-directional antenna.

So—where to put the antenna? We chose to use the empty SIM card slot at the top of the iPhone. (Since our phone's service is not enabled, we don't need the SIM chip installed.) However, you might also slip a larger but still flat antenna (for instance, a PSP antenna) under the black plastic bottom. Figure 2 shows the existing antenna connectors' locations.

Removing the Pigtails

One of the reasons why we don't particularly recommend this mod is that you have to cut the existing pigtail leading down to the antenna and solder it directly to the antenna. This presents a problem right away: You'll have a tough time finding a compatible pigtail connector. (Given that the antenna is marked with an Apple logo, we wonder if the connector is proprietary.)

To get the best possible results, you should disconnect and remove both pigtails. To do this, first remove the connectors from the iPhone. Since these connectors are glued down, you'll need to scrape around each connector to break the seal. Then carefully pry up the connecter to unseat it. To remove the Wi-Fi antenna connector, hold the actual antenna piece down while prying up the connector.

Once the connectors are off, you're ready to remove the pigtail from the iPhone. This requires a small flat-head screwdriver, soldering iron, and a gentle hand. First, lift up the metal latches that you can pry up and away from the iPhone (Figure 3). On the left side of each latch is a small solder spot that can be broken with the screwdriver as you pry up the clasp. Once the dual pigtail is removed, you can separate the two wires by inserting a soldering iron between the wires where they are wrapped in metal. The solder holding the pigtails together should melt, and the wires should separate.

Attaching the New Antenna

With the pigtails removed, the next step is to cut one and remove the shielding and plastic shell of the inner wire. Be careful: This will be quite hard to do and takes a delicate touch. The antenna itself is only a few thin strands of wire that are easily broken. Once the wires are exposed, solder them to your antenna of choice.

CAUTION

Keep in mind that we selected a spare Wii antenna because we just happened to have it lying around. It's important to note that you can't connect the iPhone to just any antenna, because antennas are designed for a specific frequency. If you use the wrong size antenna, your signal might just get you in trouble with the FCC.